ANKARA - The commission which was formed by the Council of Ministers to make arrangements related with European Union (EU) adjustment laws held its first meeting on Tuesday.
The commission which was formed by State Minister Ali Dogan, Justice Minister Aysel Celikel, Interior Minister Muzaffer Ecemis, National Education Minister Necdet Tekin took up the works related with the regulation on private courses to be opened for teaching of different languages and dialects and with the rules about acquisition of property by minority foundations.
Officials of the Foreign Ministry, Secretariat General for the EU, and the Supreme Board of Radio and Television (RTUK) also attended the meeting that lasted almost two hours.
Following the meeting, Dogan told reporters that the commission which was formed at last week's Council of Ministers meeting upon the instruction of Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit held its first meeting.
Dogan said that they took up the works related with EU adjustment laws. Although the EU welcomed amendments made by Turkey, it noted that the implementation was more important, he stated.
''This is not a practice implemented for only Turkey as some circles say. Under decisions taken at 1995 Madrid Summit, the implementation is also considered among Copenhagen criteria. Regulations on five issues have to be passed in order to put into practice arrangements made in August which are like reforms. Even though one years of time is foreseen for these laws and regulations, we are obliged to make these arrangements as soon as possible due to our position and our relations with the EU. A progress report about Turkey will be issued between October 15-16 and a decision will be taken about opening of full membership negotiations with Turkey during the Copenhagen Summit in December. Our meeting was held on this basis and relevant ministers have made evaluations about their initiatives,'' Dogan said.
Dogan pointed out that progress had been recorded about the regulation on opening of private courses which would enable Turkish citizens to learn different languages and dialects used traditionally in daily life.
Noting that broadcasting in languages and dialects which the Turkish citizens speak traditionally in their daily life was allowed with amendments to the Law on RTUK, Dogan said that RTUK would get opinions of all relevant institutions and organizations in order to determine rules and principles of the regulations it would adopt for this issue. Dogan said that the draft regulations would be prepared after RTUK got opinions from those institutions and organizations.
Stressing that regulations should be prepared in line with the latest amendments to the Civil Code about minorities foundations, Dogan said that it had been determined that works carried out by the Directorate General of Foundations with participation of relevant organizations were under way and could be finalized in the shortest time frame.
Noting that opinions of religious communities' foundations officials would be gotten during works on these foundations, Dogan said that it had been decided to continue at technical level in accordance with importance of issues that were put forward at the meeting.
Dogan added that it had been agreed that a Prime Ministry circular covering a specific timetable should be issued to facilitate works of relevant organizations.
When asked when those works would be finalized, Dogan said, ''as you know that it is a one-year process. These laws were passed by the parliament in a specific period and we believe that we would adopt them in a specific period.''
When asked whether or not the National Education Ministry's regulations on special courses regarding different languages and dialects, Dogan said, ''we saw that a great progress had been recorded in this issue. This issue will be given its final shape soon.''